Sri Lankan team prepares for the Champions Trophy with high altitude training

The Sri Lankan team travelled to Australia for the last international series back in February and had a bit of a break before they regrouped to prepare for the Champions Trophy challenge. Sri Lanka Cricket organised a one-week preparatory camp for the 15-man squad and three days from the same were dedicated to high altitude training.

Three players who will represent them in the tournament were busy with their Indian Premier League assignments – Lasith Malinga and Asela Gunaratne who are signed up by the Mumbai Indians and Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews who was with the Delhi Daredevils. While Malinga is still with the Mumbai team Mathews flew back home to lead the team in the camp.

The team will leave for England on May 18 before which they focused on strength training at an altitude of 500 metres (1,65 feet) above sea level in the hilly region of Kandy.

“Over the past months many of us have not been able to play together consistently as a team due to injury or other factors,” Mathews said in a statement. “So working together like this and learning to work with and around each others strengths is a great thing,” he said.

Sri Lanka faces South Africa in their opening encounter on June 3 followed by the game against defending champions India on June 8 and in the last league match play Pakistan on June 12 at Cardiff.

Sri Lanka’s schedule for the Champions Trophy:

June 3: Sri Lanka v South Africa, 3rd Match, Group B – Kennington Oval, London

June 8: India vs Sri Lanka, 8th Match, Group B – Kennington Oval, London

June 12: Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 12th Match, Group B – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Sri Lanka squad:

Angelo Mathews (C), Upul Tharanga, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Chamara Kapugedara, Asela Gunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Nuwan Kulasekara, Thisara Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Seekkuge Prasanna.

Standby on tour: Dilruwan Perera, Danushka Gunathilaka.

Standby: Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Kumara, Sachith Pathirana, Milinda Siriwardana, Akila Dhananjaya.